Electric compensator



\ R. E.l BATES ELECTRIC COMPENSATOR April 22, 1930.

Filed April 18, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet l Illu In veraf?? April 22, 1930. R. E. BATES ELECTRIC COMPENSATOR Filed'April 1s, 1927 2 sheets-sheet 2 6 [n1/enfer HilhHiHiHi* 15163. ffl;

'UNITED' STATES,

PATENT OFFICE RALPH' E. BATES, or MEDORD, MASSACHUSETTS, AsSIoNon-To SUBMARINE SIGNAL OOBPOBATION, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION or' DELAWARE ELEcTnrc OOMP'ENSATOR f 'Application sled April is,

I ures 3 and 4the type of compensator Switch used in the construction of electric'compensators. lt will be noted from Figure 3 of lthat patent that the switch blades extend ra dially about the entire 360 and that the contacts extend similarly beneath the blades in the same fashion.' Therefore, there is little opportunity to have a clear s ace to clean the contact surface except by disassembling the switch, as has been the practice. This is also evident from Figure 4 of the` same patent, since there the switch blades prevent entirely any easy method of cleaningf'the contact surface.

As may be supposed, since the compensator is an apparatus in which accuracy? 1s essential andfurther since cleaning ofl the contact surfaces is essential to avoid contact resistance and change in characteristics of the retardation lines of the compensator, it is very necessary tohave the contact surfaces clean at all times.

Thiscan Onlv be insured by the construction of a switch which can easily'be cleaned without disturbing the switch in any manner.

In the present invention, the switch blades are divided so that the space over some of the contacting surfaces is free and open,-the re fore accessible and easily cleaned.V The 1nventio'n will be understood more fully from the -following description with particular reference to the drawing in which:

Figure 1 shows a compensator-embodying the principles of the present invention,l

Figure 2 Ashows a side view ofthe compensator shown in Figure 1,with a dotted view of the front door let down,

lFigure 3 shows a section, in part, of the upper portion of the compensator embodying theswitch mechanism,

Figure 4 shows a detail section taken on the vline 4 4 of Figure v3, and

tween the segments.

Figure 5 shows an illustrated developnnent- 1927. Serial No. 184,753.,v

view of a compensator to which the present invention is applicable. The circuit com-` prises two microphones 1 and 2 for receiving the sound waves. These microphones are excited by direct current through the battery 3. The electrical impulses corresponding to the sound. waves are impressed through the transformers 4 and 5 on the ends of the retardation line 6, which is composed of condensers 7 in shunt and inductances -8 in I series. The switching mechanism represented i Figure 5 is composed of two sets of brushes, the upper brushes 9 yand the lower 10, both of which are usually fixed as shown in the British Patent 146,193 and also in the present application. Contacting with and beneath the brushes 9 and 10 are the conducting lates or segments 11, which are uniform andpaliko exceptthe two center plates 12 and 13, which are halved asshown in the figure. The segments 11 are connected through the discs'by means of the Studs 11. Below 12 are two small contact plates 14 and 15, which serve to preventI the brushes from dropping be- The same purpose is served by the contacting plates 16. and 17.

The brush 12 is connected to the left telephone 18 of the binaural head set, while the right telephone 19 is,connected to the brush 13. .As has been mentioned, the brushes re main in a ixed position while the contacting segments 11 are rotated, connecting more or less of the artificial line in the left or right ear as the case may be. ln the development shown in Figure 5, it will be noted that there .open circuited. If the contacting segments were moved one space over to the right, then l there would be six sections in the tele hone 18 and four in the telephone 19. t will e noted that in order to be able to vary the number of sections in. this fashion no permanent connections can be allowed between sections since it is necessary to be able to break sections and insert the telephone therebetween.` Conscribed is necessary for an electric compensator, since a variable connection must be made between each section.

As has been explained, the type of switch ordinarily 4employed is that shown in the British Patent 146,193, where all the contacting segments are arranged on one side of a plate or plates and the brushes are mounted above and contact with the segments of the plate. In this manner, in order to have a free working surface, the brushes and plates would have to be separated. Since there are usually `a number of such switches mounted on the same shaft, as is shown in the British patent mentioned above, even a provision for raising the switch blades or lowering the contacting segments would necessitate considerable diiiiculty and a more involved and complicated mechanism, not to mention the fact that each brush has at least one lead, which of course would have to be flexible and kof suiiicient length. On the whole, therefore, any readjustment necessary for working on the contacting surfaces would be laborious and undesirable.

In the switchwhich I have devised these diliiculties are entirely avoided. Figure 1 shows a compensator of a general type to which my invention is applicable. In theupper part of a casing 31 is a rotary switch mechanism 32 mounted on the door plate 33 which is hinged at 34, 34 and held in an up right position by the retaining members 35, 35. Projecting from the door plate, as shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3, is the hand wheel 36, by which the switch mechanism maybe rotated. When it is desired to clean or investigate the switch mechanism, the door may be let down to a horizontal position, where it is held by a chain 37.

In Figure 3 it will be noted that the shaft 38 of the hand wheel has its bearing in the door plate 33. Mounted on the shaft to be rotated with it is an insulating plate 39, to which the conducting segments 11, 11 are firmly fiXed in some well known manner. Th'ese segments 11, 11, as shown in Figure 4, are arranged about the entire circumference on both sides of the plate 39.

Mounted on the frame of the door 33 is another insulating plate 40, of a semicircular shape and being'coaxial with the insulating' Mounted radially upon this plate plate 39. are the brushes 9 and 10, each insulated from the other by the insulatingv plate 40. These vbrushes are of the spring contact type and lmake a pressure contact with the conducting segments 11, 11, so that the segments 11, 11

are adapted to make an electrical connection v between the brushes 9 and 10.

A` second insulating plate 41 is similarly provided with brushes. 9 and 10 insulated from each other and connected only by the conducting segments l1, 11 against which the brushes rest. Thishplate, like the plate 40, is semicircular in shape and coaxial with the shaft 38.

On the rear of the plate 39 are mounted two conducting segments 42 and 43, Figure 4, to which the brushes 44 and 45, respectively, make contact. These brushes 44 and 45 connect with the telephones as indicated in Figure 5. In Figure 4 it will be noted that the conducting segments 12 and 13 are connected to the conducting rings 42 and 43 respectively by the leads 46 and 47.

From Figure 4 it will be noted that the conducting segments on the top half of the plate 39 are all exposed and can easily'be reached with a cleaning tool or by hand. Merely by rotating this plate half a revolution, the lower conducting segments become exposed. The same is true with the conducting segments on the front of the plate 39.

These segments are exposed when they are in the lower half of the plate. In this manner all the conducting segments can be cleaned.

It will be noted that the present arrangement does not interfere with the operation of the switch in a fashion similar to that of the usual compensator. That is to say, it is still possible, by rotating the hand wheel 36, to obtain a setting which will give directly the direction of the source of sound, as is the practice. This should be evident from the development of Figure 5, where moving the conducting segments to the right is the same as rotating the hand Wheel clockwise.

Rotating in this fashion cuts out the retardation in the right ear and adds it to the left ear, and would indicate that the sound is coming from the left, similarly as is done in previous constructions. In the present case, however, the switch is so constructed that it is accessible without preliminary preparation. Having described my invention, I claim:

1. An electric compensator switch comprisving an insulated disc mounted on a rotatable shaft, a plurality of conducting segments mounted radially on both sides about the disc,`f a second set ofinsulating discs mounted rigidly on a frame and positioned parallel and on both sides of said first disc, one of said discs being provided with radial brushes contacting with the conducting segments on one half of the first disc, the other of said discs being provided with radial brushes contacting with the opposite half of the second disc and means to rotate said shaft to vary the position 'of the conducting segments.

2. An electric compensator switch for opening successively a retardation line in different sections and inserting a binaural head phone therein, wherein the position of the switch gives a direct reading, comprising a shaft, a hand wheel mounted thereon for turning said shaft, a'disc mounted on said shaft and provided with uniform radial conducting segments on both sides thereof, the opposing segments being conductively joined, including two split segments connected to slip rings and adapted to connect with the binaural head phones, two insulating plates mounted parallelwith said disc and on opposite sides of the same andprovided with similarly spaced radial -brushes adapted to bear upon said radial segments, said radial brushes being arranged uniformly about acircumference, some spaced on one plate and I- others on another, said brushes being grouped in pairs, one of the pair contacting with the segments beyond the radius of the inner split segment and the other contacting` within said radius.

3. An electric compensator switch for opening any section of an artificial line and interposing therebetween telephones to determine thereby a direct measurement, comprising. a shaft, a hand wheel mounted thereon. an insulating disc also mounted on said shaft and provided with conducting segments spaced uniformly about the whole disc on both sides thereof, a set of brushes, means for mounting said brushes to engage said conducting segments. some engaging on one side of said disc and the rest on the opposite side, said brushes being spaced about the -entire 360 of the arc of the disc.

4. A compensating switch for opening any section of an artificial line and interposing therebetween telephones to determine thereby a direct measurement, comprising a sha-ft; a hand wheel mounted thereon, an insulating disc also mounted on said shaft andprovided with uniformly spaced conducting segments` on both sideslof said discs, a set of parallel insulating plates mounted parallel to said disc, brushes mounted upon said plates and positioned to contact upon said segments,

some engaging on one side of said disc and the rest on the opposite side thereof, said brushes being spaced about the entire 360 of arc of the disc.

5. A11 electric compensator switch for opening any section of an artificial line and interposing therebetween telephones to determine thereby a direct measurement comprising4 a shaft, a hand wheel mounted thereon, an insulating disc also mounted on said shaft and,l

provided with uniformly spaced conductin segments on both sides of said discs, a set o brushes, means for mounting said brushes .to .enga e said conductin segments, half of l said rushes engaging t e upper half of said se ents on one side of said disc and the other ha f engaging the lower half of said segments lon the lower side of said disc, said brushes being spaced about the entire 360 of arc'of the disc.

6. An electric compensator switch comprising a shaft, means for rotating said shaft, an insulating disc provided with uniformly thereof, means for rotating said disc by the rotation of said shaft, a set of brushes, means for mounting said brushes to engage said conducting segments, some engaging on one side of said disc and the rest on the opposite side, saidbrushes being spaced about the entire` 360 of the disc. l

7. An electric compensator switch comprising a shaft, means for rotating said shaft, an insulating disc provided with uniformly' spaced conducting segments on both sides thereof, means for rotating said disc by the rotation of said shaft, a set of brushes, means for mounting said brushes to engage said conducting segments, half of said brushesengaging the upper half of said segments on the one side of said disc and the other half engaging the lower half of said segments on the lower side of said disc, the brushes being (spaced about the' entire 360l of arc of the isc.

8. An electric compensator switch including a. plurality of surfaces provided with conducting segments spaced uniformly about 360 of a rotatable axis, and a plurality of` conducting brushes adapted to engage said conducting segments, said brushes grouped in arcs of less than 360 and said groups operating on different surfaces, the arcs of all the groups forming a complete circumference of 360. v

9. An electric compensator switch including a plurality of surfaces provided with conducting segments spaced uniformly about 360 of a rotatable axis, and a plurality ofconducting brushes engaging said conducting segments, said brushes being spaced about the entire 360 of arc but positioned to allow the conducting segments of all the surfaces to be exposed.

In testimony whereof I aiiiX my signature.v

' `RALPH, E. BATES.

spaced conducting segments on both sides 

